To Liu Yu-Hsi

More Translations from the Chinese, by Arthur Waley, [1919], at sacred-texts.com

p. 91

[57] TO LIU YU-HSI

(A.D. 838)

In length of days and soundness of limb you and I are one;
Our eyes are not wholly blind, nor our ears quite deaf.
Deep drinking we lie together, fellows of a spring day;
Or gay-hearted boldly break into gatherings of young men.
When, seeking flowers, we borrowed his horse, the river-keeper was vexed;
When, to play on the water, we stole his boat, the Duke Ling was sore.
I hear it said that in Lo-yang, people are all shocked,
And call us by the name of "Liu and Po, those two mad old men."